Jock Palfreeman is a young Australian in jail in Sofia, Bulgaria, found guilty of the murder of Andrei Monov, the only son of two people well connected in Sofia's legal fraternity.

Jock claims he went to the defence of gypsies being attacked by Monov and a bunch of soccer hooligans. The Bulgarians claim it was an act of cold-blooded murder. In a case of many twists and turns, CCTV footage that was useful to the defence and blood readings that would have revealed how drunk Monov was were kept out of the court and a crucial witness never made it to the stand.

The story focuses on the attempts by Dr Simon Palfreeman, Jock's father and a well-respected pathologist, to obtain justice for his son and the terrifying cost (to both his health and his pocket) involved. It is also a reminder to parents of the dangers confronting their children when they travel to worlds very different to their own.